Vintage: 2010

2010 saw extremely high quality viticulture in many parts of the world, with an exceptionally long and hot summer providing huge benefits for wineries across many countries, especially in the southern hemisphere. The northern hemisphere and Europe saw something of a cooler summer and flowering period, but this was by no means as disastrous as it could have been. France, especially, had a fantastic year in 2010, with the world renowned Burgundy region proclaiming that their white wines of this year are ones to look out for, and despite yields being relatively small across much of the country, the quality was exceptionally high. Spain, too, received some cooler weather, but Rioja and the rest of central Spain are hailing 2010 as a very good year indeed, again as a result of smaller, finer yields. California also received similar climatic conditions, but again, wineries are highly positive about the overall effect this had on their produce, as the slightly challenging conditions resulted in smaller yields of much elegance and distinction.
2010 was really Australia's year, and in South Australia and across the Mornington Peninsula, Chardonnay vines produced good yields with a lower sugar level than in previous years. As such, the majority of South Australian white wines from 2010 are superb, and packed full of character. Shiraz also had a great year, and most Australian wineries have been proclaiming 2010 one of the great vintages. Both the Argentinian and Chilean wine industries benefited from some ideal climatic conditions this year, and are reportedly ecstatically pleased with the fact that their 2010 wines ended up with lower alcohol levels, and were beautifully balanced wines packed full of flavor.

Country: Austria

Austria is a fascinating country when it comes to wine production, and with a wine culture that stretches back over four thousand years, it is one of the oldest viticultural centers in the world. Today, it is the GrÃ¼ner Veltliner varietal grape which is the most widely grown and processed, producing elegant dry white wines, and very flavorful and aromatic sweet wines enjoyed to a great extent by local communities, and which are beginning to receive the recognition they deserve by the global wine market. Austria's eastern flatlands benefit from fertile and mineral rich soils, fed by the great river Danube, as well as the long hot summers the country enjoys with low precipitation. Today, over fifty thousand hectares of Austrian land is under vine, and even within the city limits of Vienna, high quality wine is produced and enjoyed.